The residential atmospheres of the Kreischer and Harshman quadrangles will shift considerably for fall semester 2005 when the Arts Village and Honors Housing relocate as part of the University’s plan to enhance students’ education through residential learning communities.

Honors Housing will move from its current location in Kreischer-Darrow to Harshman-Dunbar, while the Arts Village will relocate from Harshman-Chapman to Kreischer-Ashley.

According to Director of Residence Life and University Dining Services, Linda Newman, the idea to move the residential learning communities originated with conversations among the Honors Program, Office of Residence Life, Vice President of Student Affairs and the Provost Office.

Associate Director of Residence Life for Administration and Technology, Timothy King, said the Honors Program’s need for a more integrated community, with Honors Program offices on-site, was the factor that led to the decision to move the two communities.

“Right now the Honors Program office is in University Hall, and this move provides an opportunity for the program office to be located with the Honors students themselves,” King said.

When representatives of the Office of Residence Life and the College of Arts and Sciences approached Arts Village Director Mary Natvig with the proposal to move her learning community to Kreischer, Natvig immediately accepted.

“Even though we really like where we are, there are pluses to moving, so I was happy to be cooperative about it,” Natvig said.

As part of the move, the two residential learning communities will switch their commons areas. The current Honors Center in Kreischer will become the new Arts Commons, and the current Arts Commons in Harshman will become the new Honors Center.

Renovation will be conducted in both spaces this summer.

The future Honors Center will receive the most work, with the addition of several faculty offices, while more minor technological renovations will take place in the future Arts Commons space, according to Residence Life Associate Director of Operations, Jim Zentmeyer.

He estimated that the cost of the renovations, paid for by the Office of Residence Life, will fall between $200,000 and $300,000.

Directors of both the Arts and Honors programs believe their organizations will be better served in their new locations, although there will be some drawbacks.

Paul Moore, director of the Honors Program, said the main advantage of the move will be a more integrated Honors Program, with Honors classes, offices, housing and activity space all in the same building.

“We’re really excited about being in the same location as the students we are serving,” Moore said. “In addition we’ll have one classroom that’s online that we’ll run Honors classes in, and I think that will facilitate some of our Honors classes, having them in the same environment as the Honors dorm.”

He added that this move for Honors Housing is the first step in the Honors Program’s plan to become a more prominent residential learning community. Within the next seven years, he said, the Honors Program will move to Rodgers Hall, which will be more suited to the needs of the expanding program.

Moving away from the Sundial Food Court is one drawback that the Honors students will have to face.

“In any kind of situation where you make changes, you have to weigh pros and cons, so I think it’s a good question to say ‘What are we gaining for what we are losing?'” Moore said. “You’re losing the ability to have food … and I recognize that. And the office staff is losing a lot too. Being in a central location on campus gives us a lot of access to a lot of offices on campus that we interact with. But you’re gaining better access to the Honors staff, you’re gaining better classrooms … and you’re gaining better access to an Honors Center.”

The Arts Village, on the other hand, will gain the Sundial, among other advantages, with their move to Kreischer.

“I think it’s a good move,” Natvig said. “I think they’re going to like the new space. There will be more room for art projects. There will be some updated equipment in the renovated room. I think it’s going to be a really nice, nice space, and they won’t have to go outside for their food. It’s closer to the music building, it’s still close to the art building, and it’s going to be very close to the new Integrated Arts building that’s going up. So, I think the location is going to be even better for us.”

Additionally, Natvig said, the Arts Village will benefit from being close to the music students in Batchelder Hall.

“It’s going to be really good being in the same quadrangle as Batchelder music, because hopefully we can do some activities together, and I just think it’s a good match,” Natvig said.

A disadvantage for the Arts Village will be the loss of natural light, since the new Arts Commons will be in a windowless basement room. But Natvig said the added space for artwork will outweigh this disadvantage.

Eventually, Natvig said, Batchelder Hall and its music students may become a part of the Arts Village, but that decision will be up to the music students.

Although Natvig will not be the director of the Arts Village next year, she expects the Arts Village to grow and become more involved with the community in the future.

“Depending on the new director, there may be some more service learning components, more community action and interaction between the community and the Arts Village students,” she said.

Many students who currently live in Honors Housing and the Arts Village will not be affected by the move, because the majority of students who live in these learning communities each year are freshmen.

But many students who originally planned to stay in their residence communities next year now face a decision.

“I think a lot of people are struggling with the decision to move,” said Honors Student Association Treasurer, Andrea Fatica, who has lived in Honors Housing for three years. “I think in the long term it’s going to be a good move. At the same time, right now people are facing loyalties to this building and the people who currently live here, because this is the building they know.”

She added that while some Honors students may choose not to move, the studious atmosphere of Darrow Hall will diminish with the arrival of non-Honors students next year.

Arts Village Resident Advisor Zach Maynard, who has lived in the Arts Village for two years and plans to move with the community next year, said he was surprised by the move, as were other Arts Village residents.

“I don’t know how Honors Housing is going to profit from it, or how Arts students are going to profit,” Maynard said.

He added, “I think once we get over there, we might understand.”